It’s not easy being a member of the current Indian cricket team. For nearly two months, this team hasn’t earned a single win over its opposition on the Australian soil. With the World Cup around the corner, performance anxiety couldn’t get more intense.
There is no respite, no freebies and with a tough challenge ahead to qualify for the tri-series final and India find themselves in an agonising pressure test. To add insult to the injury, even teams like Australia and England are looking a better side than India.
Fans are understandably worried and there are questions being asked about where such a fledging side will stand in the World Cup. This situation will worsen if India doesn’t qualify for the tri-series final. But the only good news is that the Indian team itself isn’t down and out.
This kind of phase has haunted the team in the past, but the players managed to come out of it. This is one such instance where MS Dhoni and his men would have to make amends for all that has already been lost.
In times like these motivation levels would be at its lowest ebb and it’s only a leader of Dhoni’s stature who has what it takes to of lift the spirit of the team. He is doing his bit to not disappoint Indian fans. The national cricket team, too, is taking measures to ensure a billion hopes aren’t dashed.
The management may be putting the side through vigorous processes – mental and physical – to boost the morale. The two week window just before the World Cup would be the perfect platform for such preparation.
Keep in mind the Indian blokes have found themselves in a similar predicament is many occasions before — among them the time before winning the 2011 World Cup, and becoming the 2013 Champions Trophy winners.
What exactly this team does in these group activities hasn’t ever been disclosed. It is supposed to be a team secret and that has to be respected. Every team has strategic activities to get back in the game and such trade secrets, if you can call them that, is what makes many a side.
As followers of Indian cricket, we have to keep the faith in MS Dhoni and his men. After all, this captain does have the reputation of being a captain who can’t put a foot wrong.
